The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of nectarine tree, which I refer to as "Laura", of a yellow-gold fleshed, large size, semi-cling stone fruit, attractive in appearance, maturing in the early season period, which was developed as part of a continuing fruit breeding program being conducted in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Applicant has carried on a variety improvement program in California for over ten years and during that period has evaluated over 10,000 individual seedlings of various species. Seedlings that have sprouted in various orchard locations within the San Joaquin Valley are routinely collected and are either transplanted from the orchard floor to a seedling block and/or grafted onto rootstock for eventual evaluation of the fruit. Routine inspections of the orchard plantings are made for any mutations which might arise having superior characteristics over the parent.